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Adult Education/Lifelong Learning
We are excited to announce that Adult Education/Lifelong Learning has launched here at the Helix School! We are now providing lifelong learning courses for those who have had “too many birthdays” and have aged out of the school system but want to continue to learn and grow!
Join us as we continue to nurture the joy of learning, promote meaningful skills, and foster a sense of true community belonging for all!
Helix Adult Education is now providing two types of course offerings:
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Semester-long classes between 9am and 3pm on Fridays; Our current semester-long, Friday courses for young adults are:
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Intro to Photography;
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Intro to Community Skills;
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Intro to Library Sciences; and a
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Small Business Incubator
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And:
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Short-term weekend or evening courses (ages 14 and up); Planned Spring offerings include:
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Intro to Filmmaking and Visual Effects; and
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Intro to Environmental Science: Ecology of the Bay
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Meet our expert instructors, each a specialist in their field, dedicated to guiding our students through lifelong learning
Cathy Maley
Small Business Owner and Filmmaker/Small Business and Photography Instructor
Cathy Maley is an award-winning film producer, entrepreneur, and project manager, with extensive experience in film production, education, and business. As the founder of Maley Production Services / Five Angel Films, Cathy has worked on movies including Gremlins, and television shows such as Full House. She has also worked on documentary films, collaborating with major brands, agencies, and production teams to create compelling and award-winning content that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit. Her entrepreneurial expertise includes developing S10 ProClean, a premium camera lens and digital screen cleaner. Cathy integrates education into her business by mentoring film students in social media content creation and branding, and has enjoyed mentoring students at the Berkeley Digital Film Institute. Above all, Cathy believes in recognizing the unique potential of every individual and guiding them toward achieving their highest aspirations; she is thrilled to continue on that path here at Helix Adult Education.
David Tanaka
Film Industry Professional & Cinemabilities Instructor
David H. Tanaka, VES, is an Editor, Producer and Creative Director with experience ranging from visual effects and animation, to documentary and live action feature filmmaking. For 15 years he served at Industrial Light & Magic in VFX Production and VFX Editorial on films including Jurassic Park, Forrest Gump and the Star Wars saga. He then went on to Pixar Animation Studios as a Special Projects Editor for 10 years, contributing to such productions as Cars, Ratatouille, WALL•E, Up, Toy Story 3 and Monsters University. David currently holds a VFX Editor position with Tippett Studio and is the founder of Cinemabilities® - offering filmmaking courses for typically and developing and neurodivergent students, now in its fifth year. He is excited to bring his expertise to Helix Adult Education, and demonstrate that anyone can be a filmmaker!
Amanda Dostie
Marine Scientist, Licensed Captain, & Environmental Science Instructor
After earning a B.S. in Marine Sciences from the University of Connecticut, Amanda Dostie conducted research in oceanography, water quality monitoring, and scientific instrumentation. As part of her research, she sailed the seas for several years, gaining her Captain’s license and leading scientific cruises, before returning to her first love: teaching. Amanda recognizes that every student processes information differently and she does her best to adapt to those needs. She likes to teach in a way that is both relatable and fun, and delights in the opportunity to combine her two passions here at Helix Adult Education!
We are currently accepting both private pay and self-determination funds.
If you or a family member might be interested in any of the above courses, or have questions or ideas, contact: dori@thehelixschool.org for more information.
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